Bill > SB659

This bill modifies procurement rules for the Hawaii Department of Education (DOE) specifically related to purchasing local agricultural and food products. The bill creates new provisions that exempt the DOE from standard electronic procurement requirements when purchasing fresh local agricultural products and local value-added food products under a certain dollar amount. When making these purchases, the DOE must obtain at least three written quotes (or two quotes for rural school purchases), document any challenges in obtaining quotes, and post awards over a specific dollar amount electronically. The bill also establishes guidelines for giving geographic preference to locally sourced products, allowing the DOE to award contracts to local vendors if their prices are up to 10% higher than out-of-state options, and potentially up to 15% higher with documented justification. Additionally, the bill exempts the DOE from the Hawaii Public Procurement Code's requirements for agricultural product purchases. The terms "fresh local agricultural products," "local value-added processed, agricultural, or food products," and "locally sourced products" are defined by referencing an existing statute, and the bill is set to take effect on July 1, 3000 (which appears to be a placeholder date).

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance, Education

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=659&year=2026